Broncos get rockstar welcome to Sydney ahead of grand final
The Brisbane Broncos have been treated to a rock star reception in the heart of Sydney paraded in front of hundreds of diehard fans days out from the NRL grand final.
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The Brisbane Broncos have been treated to a rock star reception in the heart of Sydney paraded in front of hundreds of diehard fans days out from the NRL grand final.
Superstars Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam were given a special greeting as fans packed into Circular Quay for the NRL’s official fan day.
Hordes of Broncos fans lined with scarfs, flags and hats were scattered throughout the crowd on Thursday for one last glimpse of the grand final teams ahead of Sunday’s clash.
“It’s awesome. You want to be part of days like this with so many fans down here and heaps back home,” Reece Lightning told the adoring crowd.
While boos rang out as Panthers playmaker Jarome Luai was presented, some of the loudest cheers were saved for Mam, the newly crowned Dally M five-eighth of the year.
Coach Kevin Walters acknowledged the reception, and the tidal wave of support that had crashed over Red Hill in past weeks.
“I am very grateful for what happened up in Brisbane with the fan day and at trainings. It’s so great to see what it means for the people of Brisbane,” Walters told the crowd.
“Lots of fans are here today too. It’s been a long time since our last grand final, 2015, and even longer since our last title.
“But we are here now and want to make a real fist of it.”
Sunshine Coast supporters Jaz Dalton and partner Wayne Pellworthy flew down from the Sunshine State to be there for grand final week.
The pair said the spent $4000 on the trip and brought yellow signs celebrating Reece Lightning and Selwyn Cobbo on the plane.
“We put the signs covered in bubble wrap in the plane, couldn’t take them in carry on,” Ms Dalton said.
“We only just landed about an hour before this happened and we ran here with our signs.
“Spent about $4000 all up but we are in row seven on Sunday, so it’s worth every penny.”
Brisbane fan Dwayne Irvine came down with his daughter Olivia, 10, from Cairns having bought grand final tickets three months ago.
A Bunnies fan in full kit waving a Broncos flag aloft who stole the show and drew laughs from the players after voicing his support for Adam Reynolds.
Staunch Rabbitohs supporter Jeremy Shannon was not shy to hide his anger at the club’s decision to allow the halfback go to Brisbane.
“Obviously Souths weren’t thinking,” Mr Shannon said.
“There‘s some sort of management problem there obviously. Then you look at the way the club is going now, you know there is something wrong.
“We are all disgruntled as Rabbitohs fans that we lost him. But at least he’s gone to a good professional outfit, and the results are showing it.”
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